--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When your life is threatened, whether…" description: "\"When your life is threatened, whether it's by human beings or by disease or whatever, you come to appreciate life.\" — Ayaan Hirsi Ali" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/ayaan-hirsi-ali-2858_appreciate_when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it_1813764.jpg" --- # When your life is threatened, whether it's by human beings… ![“When your life is threatened, whether it's by human beings or by disease or whatever, you come to appreciate life.” quote by Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/ayaan-hirsi-ali-2858_appreciate_when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it_1813764.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/ayaan-hirsi-ali-2858_appreciate_when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it_1813764.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/ayaan-hirsi-ali-2858_appreciate_when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it_1813764.jpg) > “When your life is threatened, whether it's by human beings or by disease or whatever, you come to appreciate life.” [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Threats to life heighten appreciation for existence. **In simple terms:** Danger makes life valuable. Key Takeaway Cherish life. Themes mortality appreciation resilience existential Mood reflective hopeful Type existential motivational When to use this quote - health crises - war zones - personal loss Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do crises change perspective? - What practices sustain appreciation daily? A Different Perspective May not apply in stable contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appreciate life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciate-life/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“I am not Amish enough to emigrate when my way of life is threatened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-r-reader/i-am-not-amish-enough-to-emigrate-when-my-way-of-life-is-threatened/) [G.R. Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-r-reader/) > [I believe the book should be something you protect yourself from by returning to your life. But it has threatened your life. Not by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-burgess/i-believe-the-book-should-be-something-you-protect-yourself-from-by/) [Tony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-burgess/) > [Ashcroft went on to say that our way of life is being threatened by a group of radical religious fanatics who are armed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/ashcroft-went-on-to-say-that-our-way-of-life-is-being-threatened-by-a/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [When you are threatened, when your life is threatened, you have to fight back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-prashad/when-you-are-threatened-when-your-life-is-threatened-you-have-to/) [Vijay Prashad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-prashad/) > [When your own life is threatened, your sense of empathy is blunted by a terrible, selfish hunger for survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/when-your-own-life-is-threatened-your-sense-of-empathy-is-blunted-by/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [“Do you think I enjoy this? My life has been threatened from the day I was born! All of my waking hours have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/do-you-think-i-enjoy-this-my-life-has-been-threatened-from-the-day-i/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [Never take a persons deeds of kindness for granted. Someday, someone will come along and appreciate what you didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edward/never-take-a-persons-deeds-of-kindness-for-granted-someday-someone/) Maria Edward > [“If you can't appreciate someone So how come Someone will appreciate you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rehaman-m/if-you-can-t-appreciate-someone-so-how-come-someone-will-appreciate/) [Rehaman M](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rehaman-m/) > [I think increasingly I really come to appreciate the people, the politicians, the interviewees, of any stripe and size who are able to answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-think-increasingly-i-really-come-to-appreciate-the-people-the/) [Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/) > [My work often takes me away from my family for long periods of time, so I've really come to appreciate the time I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-gay-harden/my-work-often-takes-me-away-from-my-family-for-long-periods-of-time/) [Marcia Gay Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-gay-harden/) > [Don't Take A Good Person For Granted. Someday, Someone Will Come Along And Appreciate What You Didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/don-t-take-a-good-person-for-granted-someday-someone-will-come-along/) Pacifiersucker > [I've come to appreciate other people's talents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stern/i-ve-come-to-appreciate-other-people-s-talents/) [Howard Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stern/) > [Guys: never take a good woman for granted, because one day another guy will come along and appreciate what you didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guys-never-take-a-good-woman-for-granted-because-one-day-another-guy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And someday someone will come along and appreciate whathe/she didn't](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-someday-someone-will-come-along-and-appreciate-whathe-she-didn-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't take a good woman for granted. Someday, someone will come along and appreciate what you didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darkskin/don-t-take-a-good-woman-for-granted-someday-someone-will-come-along/) [Darkskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darkskin/) ## More by Ayaan Hirsi Ali > [Women covering their heads is traditional, but now we're seeing more and more women covering themselves from head to toe. This is said to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/women-covering-their-heads-is-traditional-but-now-we-re-seeing-more/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [I am grateful to my father for sending me to school, and that we moved from Somalia to Kenya, where I learned English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/i-am-grateful-to-my-father-for-sending-me-to-school-and-that-we-moved/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [In Holland I have seen well-meaning, principled people blinded by multiculturalism, overwhelmed by the imperative to be sensitive and respectful of immigrant culture, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/in-holland-i-have-seen-well-meaning-principled-people-blinded-by/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [If we don't take effective measures now, the Netherlands could be torn between two extreme rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/if-we-don-t-take-effective-measures-now-the-netherlands-could-be-torn/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [I see no difference between Islam and Islamism. Islam is defined as submission to the will of Allah, as it is described in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/i-see-no-difference-between-islam-and-islamism-islam-is-defined-as/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [They decided to let immigrants in and I am an immigrant. They gave us a chance to participate in this country's life and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/they-decided-to-let-immigrants-in-and-i-am-an-immigrant-they-gave-us/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [I want people to emphasize life before death as opposed to life after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/i-want-people-to-emphasize-life-before-death-as-opposed-to-life-after/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [“Wishful thinking about the peaceful tolerance of Islam cannot interpret away this reality: hands are still cut off, women still stoned and enslaved, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/wishful-thinking-about-the-peaceful-tolerance-of-islam-cannot/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [By declaring our Prophet infallible and not permitting ourselves to question him, we Muslims had set up a static tyranny. The Prophet Muhammad attempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/by-declaring-our-prophet-infallible-and-not-permitting-ourselves-to/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [“The will of little girls is stifled by Islam. By the time they menstruate they are rendered voiceless. They are reared to become submissive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/the-will-of-little-girls-is-stifled-by-islam-by-the-time-they/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [I am not against migration. It is simply pragmatic to restrict migration, while at the same time encouraging integration and fighting discrimination. I support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/i-am-not-against-migration-it-is-simply-pragmatic-to-restrict/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [I confront the European elite's self-image as tolerant 'while under their noses women are living like slaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/i-confront-the-european-elite-s-self-image-as-tolerant-while-under/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [What matters is abuse, and how it is anchored in a religion that denies women their rights as humans. What matters is that atrocities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/what-matters-is-abuse-and-how-it-is-anchored-in-a-religion-that/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [“When I look at people talking about intersectionality, what I see is the human being magnifying a biological attribute, and then putting them aside,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/when-i-look-at-people-talking-about-intersectionality-what-i-see-is/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [We must reclaim and retake feminism from our fellow idiotic women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/we-must-reclaim-and-retake-feminism-from-our-fellow-idiotic-women/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) [Explore all 147 Ayaan Hirsi Ali quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) ## More Appreciate quotes > [All I hear is the people that appreciate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-hardy/all-i-hear-is-the-people-that-appreciate-me/) [Greg Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-hardy/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Time is really gold,spent it wisely with the people around you.Spread love,appreciate the beauty around you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jglargosta/time-is-really-gold-spent-it-wisely-with-the-people-around-you-spread/) [Jglargosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jglargosta/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [This time, there were no drugs involved. The hours were completely normal daytime hours. I think we were able to appreciate the interplay, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/this-time-there-were-no-drugs-involved-the-hours-were-completely/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I would like beautiful gymnastics to be recognized as the best. I want the judges to appreciate things that are not necessarily winning points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kohei-uchimura/i-would-like-beautiful-gymnastics-to-be-recognized-as-the-best-i-want/) [Kohei Uchimura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kohei-uchimura/) > [One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/one-of-the-most-important-rules-for-success-is-this-every-great/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [It's great at this stage in my life to still be in the running, that people appreciate you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/it-s-great-at-this-stage-in-my-life-to-still-be-in-the-running-that/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Love is too wonderful for us but why we often times do not ever appreciate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamad-idrus/love-is-too-wonderful-for-us-but-why-we-often-times-do-not-ever/) [Mohamad Idrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamad-idrus/) > [I think the most important thing is to stay hopeful, to believe wonderful things are possible and do your best. Basically, to not give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-a-hoffman/i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-stay-hopeful-to-believe/) [Irena A. Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-a-hoffman/) > [“Admire and appreciate your man and he will be happy on your side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-alfiori/admire-and-appreciate-your-man-and-he-will-be-happy-on-your-side/) [Linda Alfiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-alfiori/) Browse all 3,873 Appreciate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When your life is threatened, whether it's by human beings or by disease or whatever, you come to appreciate life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ayaan Hirsi Ali" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it-s-by-human-beings-or-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appreciate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it-s-by-human-beings-or-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/ayaan-hirsi-ali-2858_appreciate_when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it_1813764.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/ayaan-hirsi-ali-2858_appreciate_when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it_1813764.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/ayaan-hirsi-ali-2858_appreciate_when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it_1813764.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When your life is threatened, whether it's by human beings or by disease or whatever, you come to appreciate…” — Ayaan Hirsi Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ayaan Hirsi Ali", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When your life is threatened, whether...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it-s-by-human-beings-or-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/when-your-life-is-threatened-whether-it-s-by-human-beings-or-by/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```